Contacts in Windows Live Messenger appear Offline when they are Online
This works. =)



Applies To:
    • Windows Live Messenger 14.0
    • Windows Live Messenger 15.4

Contacts might appear offline due to any of these following reasons:
    • The contacts cache in Windows Live Messenger may be corrupted
    • Contacts might be on your Windows Live Messenger 14.0 block list
    • Temporary server issues are causing erroneous information about who is online to be transmitted

TROUBLESHOOTING STEPS:

1. If you have already Signed-in to Windows Live Messenger, Sign out and Sign back in again. This will synchronise your contact information again.2. If you and/or your contacts are using Windows Live Messenger 14.0, verify that you are not on one another’s Block lists:
a. Sign-in to Windows Live Messenger
b. Click on the Tools menu and select Options
    Note: If you don’t see the Tools menu, hit ALT on your keyboard
b. In the Options window, on the left hand pane, click Privacy
c. Verify that your contact does not appear under Block list
d. To move a contact to the Allow list, click the contact under Block list, and then click Allow
e. Ask your contact to follow the same steps to ensure that you are on their Block list

If you and/or your contacts are using Windows Live Messenger 15.4, make sure that you have not set your presence status to "Appear offline". Here is how you can verify this
a. Right click on your contact and select "Appear online to this person" option
3. Refresh the Contacts Cache store of Windows Live Messenger

3.1. Change the Microsoft Windows Explorer settings: 
a. Go to Start, Run, Type explorer and click ok
b. On the Tools menu, click
• Folder Options in Windows XP• Organize and Folder and Search options in Windows Vista or Windows 7
c. On the View tab, in the advanced settings list, select Show hidden files and folders under Hidden Files and Folders
d. Clear the Hide extensions for known file types check box
e. Click Ok to close the Folder Options window

3.2. Delete Windows Live Contacts Folder:

Important: Before deleting the contacts cache folder, make sure that msnmsgr.exe and wlcomm.exe are killed in the Processes from Task Manager.  To access Task Manager, simply press CTRL+ALT+DEL from your keyboard.

For Windows Live Messenger 14.0:

If you are using Windows XP:
a. Go to Start, click on My Computer
b. Browse to the location: C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft
c. Delete Windows Live Contacts folder
d. Browse to the location: C:\Documents and Settings\\Contacts
e. Delete Contacts folder
    
If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7:
a. Go to Start, click on Computer
b. Browse to the location: C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft
c. Delete Windows Live Contacts folder
d. Browse to the location: C:\Users\\Contacts
e. Delete Contacts folder

Note: Windows Logon name is the logon name that you use to sign in to Windows Operating system

For Windows Live Messenger 15.4:

Windows Vista or Windows 7:
a. Go to Start, click on Computer
b. Browse to the location: C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live\Contacts
c. Look for the folder which has your email address. For example: test@hotmail.com and delete it

Warning! Only delete the folder which has your email address. If you delete other items in the Contacts folder they cannot be recovered